


First Swim

by Burgie



Series: Katja Joins Team Good AU [23]
Category: Star Stable
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-08-09 07:57:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7793497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mandy goes fishing in her seal form.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Swim

“I’m going for a swim, look after my horse,” said Mandy, slowing from her gallop and picking up her second skin.

“What? Oh, it’s you, seal girl,” said Bob. He took Lemonpepper’s reins, leading the horse into the cave.

“Watch your food, he might eat it,” said Mandy. “We’re both hungry.”

“Then why not f- oh, never mind, she’s gone,” said Bob. Mandy could still hear him, even under the water and in her seal form.

This early of a morning, and in this season, the water would be absolutely freezing for a human. But not for Mandy. Even if it wasn’t for her seal body keeping her warm, she could ask the ocean to change the temperature slightly just for her. She would be a little cold when she changed back, but that was a small discomfort that she could live with.

Sea life scattered in the presence of a predator, but some of the bigger fish remained. A shark glanced at Mandy out of his black eyes, but passed her by without incident. He was fine with her as long as she didn’t hunt in his territory or steal his food.

Sometimes Mandy wondered what it would be like to swim as a siren, like her mother and brother. Or as a human. She imagined that it must be different. For one, her siren family made dolphin noises while swimming. Clicks and whistles and squeals.

One of those sounds suddenly reached her ears, and Mandy stopped, heart pounding in excitement. Had one of them come to visit her?

Her hopes were crushed when a dolphin swam past her. Of course it was just a dolphin. Annoyed, Mandy swam down a little deeper. Her mother always told her about how nice it was to swim along the bottom of the ocean, to see the sand and shells and small stones passing beneath her. It was very nice, she had to admit. A few rays of sunlight managed to reach the bottom, warming her skin when she passed through them.

But she had to return to the surface, drawn by her grumbling empty stomach. She really should have eaten at the café, those fish macarons were delicious, but she had a craving for the real thing. The fish at Longbridge were tastier and made for a better meal, but Mandy didn’t feel safe swimming there. That Captain Brus was a shady character, and she had the feeling that he’d try to hunt her for her white pelt if given the chance.

Outside the smugglers cave, Mandy could only catch whitefish. It was small and unsatisfying, but the nearby Labyrinth shore held better specimens. Northern Pike was a great meal.

“Hey,” Mandy called, surfacing near the cave, “I’m going to the Labyrinth shore. Can one of you come and keep an eye on me?”

“Rob do it,” said Rob. Bob was evidently busy with Lemonpepper, feeding the horse a carrot. Mandy laughed at how happy he looked, then dived back under the water and swam to the interesting series of rocks that made up the Labyrinth shore.

Mandy swam around a little before a fish passed her vision. Immediately, she shot off after it, keeping it in her sights. As soon as she caught it, she returned to the surface and startled Rob, who had gotten too close to the water and received a free shower. Mandy laughed at him before she gulped down the fish.

“You catch us fish too?” asked Rob.

“In a minute, I’m still hungry,” said Mandy. She slipped back beneath the water in search of her next meal. Honestly, she felt more comfortable with Bob watching her, but Rob was a decent guard too. He was just jumpier.

Once she’d eaten her fill, Mandy pulled herself onto one of the islands with another Northern Pike in her jaws. She dropped it in the bucket that Rob had carried out for just that purpose, then looked up at him. “Is that enough?”

“Hmm. Catch five more,” said Rob, holding up four fingers. Mandy really didn’t mind fishing for the smugglers. At least she could catch fish naturally that way.


End file.
